PAMA considers entering mineral mining business

By Tri Subhki R

PT Pama Persada Nusantara (PAMA), Indonesia?s largest mining contractor, is considering to diversify into mineral mining, particularly gold, copper, nickel and iron ore.

PAMA, a subsidiary of IDX-listed heavy equipment company PT United Tractors Tbk (UT), has coal mining concessions and has taken steps to build mine-mouth power plant.

?We are studying the possibility to expand our business to mineral mining, such as gold, copper, nickel and iron ore,? PAMA President Director Frans Kesuma, said to Petromindo recently.

Frans said that mineral mining will be one of the company?s focuses on business expansion, besides the mine-mouth power plant. The plant will have total capacity of 30 MW (2X15 MW), and will be located in Central Kalimantan, inside the coal mine of its subsidiary PT Tuah Turangga Agung.

?The difference between these two focuses is that we have taken actions to build mine-mouth power plant, yet we are still studying the expansion to mineral mining,? he said. Frans said that mine-mouth power plant aims to support and reduce the fuel consumption in the company?s coal mining activities.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak